‘Best Sex Ed is Russian literature’ – children’s rights ombudsman

Presidential children’s rights advocate Pavel Astakhov says he opposes the introduction of sex education in schools adding that Russian literature can fill the gap and answer all the possible questions.

“The best sex education there is, in fact, is Russian
literature and literature in general,” Astakhov told the
Rossiya-24 news channel. “Children should read
more. Everything is there, all about love and about relationships
between sexes. School must raise children in chastity and with
understanding of family values,” he added.

Astakhov told the audience how he warned the Ministry for Science
and Education against introducing sex education lessons into
Russian schools. “I am very glad that the ministry abandoned
this idea because today it is very dangerous to let any
specialists of this kind anywhere near children,” he noted.

At the same time, the ombudsman said he was not against the
lessons of ethics and psychology of family life, similar to those
that existed in Soviet schools. Astakhov suggested that these
courses are revived.

The ombudsman was asked how and when parents should tell their
children about homosexuality. He answered that this was the
decision that every parent should take personally.

“Of course, children must be prepared for this. All parents
must ask themselves – are we ready to tell our children about
what exists in neighboring countries, are we ready to explain
this and are we ready to support it in some way,” Astakhov
elaborated.

The question was apparently prompted by the recently passed law
that bans all promotion of non-traditional sex relations to
minors. Critics of the act have noted that in its current form it
effectively outlaws any mentioning of LGBT relationships that can
be heard or otherwise learned by those underage, including
talking between parents and children.